NEW: Kilmartin Urges More Pharmacies to Stop Selling Tobacco in RI

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, has called on the nation's five largest five largest retailers with pharmacies – Rite-Aid, Walmart, Walgreens, Kroger and Safeway – to follow the example set by CVS/Caremark and cease selling tobacco products at stores throughout the United States.

With the health and protection of Rhode Island citizens in mind, Kilmartin joined several other attorneys general in urging the move.

Letter to Retailers

In a letter sent to the retail giants, Kilmartin wrote, “There is a contradiction having these dangerous and devastating tobacco products on the shelves of a retail chain that services health care needs. The availability of such products in a retail store that also serves as a pharmacy normalizes tobacco use.”

The letter continued, “The normalization and easy availability of tobacco products represent a significant threat to youth, who are particularly susceptible to social and environmental encouragement to use tobacco.”

In a separate letter to CVS/Caremark, Kilmartin and fellow attorneys general commended the company for being the first national pharmacy chain to prioritize public health by choosing to stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products, applauding the company’s leadership in taking a significant step forward toward promoting better public health.

Kilmartin and the other attorneys general wrote, “CVS has demonstrated great corporate leadership by committing to eliminate tobacco products from its 7,600 retail stores.”

The letter went on to commend CVS for, “taking the lead role in acknowledging that eliminating the sale of tobacco products by retailers who service health care needs and reducing the availability of tobacco products are important steps in reducing the harm caused by tobacco in the United States and promoting public health.”